Fully collapsible corrugated box and blank therefor

ABSTRACT

The bottom panel of the box is cut diagonally from one corner to the opposite diagonal corner, except for a pair of holding tabs, and the two similar, right triangle-shaped panels thus provided are creased along fold lines which bisect the right angle of the triangles and extend to the diagonal cut. After the box is erected, it may be fully collapsed by pushing inwardly or outwardly on the bottom panel to break the holding tabs and then folding the triangular-shaped panels on the fold lines thereof to collapse the erected panels.

United States Patent Solanka Feb. 1, 1972 [54] FULLY COLLAPSIBLE CORRUGATED 2,5l4,073 7/l950 Karlson ..229/4l B X BOX AND BLANK THEREFOR 2,673,024 3/1954 Kuss........ .229/37 R X 2,794,587 6/1957 [72] inventor: Joseph Solanka, Baltimore, Md 2904239 9/1959 [73] Assignee: Wagner Brothers Containers, Inc., 8211- 3332602 7,1967 more, 3,432,086 3/l969 1 Filed! 1970 Primary ExaminerDavis T. Moorhead [2]] App 80 075 Attorney-Raphael Semmes [57] ABSTRACT l U S C B65d The bottom panel of the box 18 cut diagonally from one corner [58] Field of Search R 41 R 1 B 49 32 to the opposite diagonal corner, except for a pair of holding tabs, and the two similar, right triangle-shaped panels thus provided are creased along fold lines which bisect the right [56] References cued angle of the triangles and extend to the diagonal cut. After the UNITED STATES PATENTS box is erected, it may be fully collapsed by pushing inwardly or outwardly on the bottom panel to break the holding tabs and 783,089 2/l905 Wildmann ..229/4l B then f ldi the triangular shaped panels on the f ld lines 2 1% gergowltz thereof to collapse the erected panels. ar ee 2,485,028 10/ l949 Bauemfreund et al ..229/41 R X 5 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures PATENIEB FEB 1m 3.638.852

SHEET 1 or 2 IN VEN TOI? JbsePH Sam/Wm 14 TTOR/YE Y PATENTED FEB 1 1972 SHEET 2 OF 2 wvfzvrm ZJOSEPH Soul/Wm HTTORNEY FULLY COLLAPSIBLE CORRUGATED BOX AND BLANK THEREFOR This invention relates to an improved collapsible container or box and to the blank from which the box is formed.

It is an object of the invention to provide a blank for a box which requires a minimum of cardboard or like paperboard sheet material.

An additional object is to provide a box formed from a minimum number of panels or components.

A further object is to provide a fully collapsible box formed from a compact, simple, main blank.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a box which occupies a minimum amount of space when fully collapsed.

Other objects are to provide a box which may be rapidly erected from a one-piece blank, and which is of rugged construction and economical to manufacture.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred form of the invention when taken in conjunction with the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a blank, cut and scored for forming the collapsible box of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view, on a larger scale, of the collapsible box in its erected position;

FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view of the collapsible box of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a filler or stiffener on a smaller scale, for use with the collapsible box.

FIG. 5 is a bottom plain view of the collapsible box of FIGS. 2 and 3 shown in a partly collapsed condition;

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of the box of FIGS. 2 and 3 shown in its fully collapsed condition;

FIG. 7 is a plan view of a blank, cut and scored for forming a modified collapsible box according to the invention; and

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the collapsible box formed from the blank of FIG. 7.

The present collapsible box as shown in FIGS. 1-6 is formed from a single-piece blank 1 of sheet material, such as corrugated board, cardboard, paperboard or other suitable fiberboard material, die-cut from a large sheet of the material.

The blank 1 includes a substantially square or rectangularshaped bottom panel 3, a pair of side panels 5 and 7 which extend outwardly from the bottom panel 3 and are joined to opposite sides thereof along the fold lines 9 and 11, and the end panels 29 and 31 which extend outwardly from either end of the bottom panel 3 and are joined thereto along the fold lines 35 and 37.

The end walls 13 and 15 extend outwardly from either end of the side panel 5 and are attached thereto along the hinge lines 17 and 19, and in like manner, the end walls 21 and 23 extend outwardly from either end of the side panel 7 and are connected thereto along the hinge lines 25 and 27.

The bottom panel 3 is cut diagonally from one corner to the diagonally opposite corner thereof along the line 39, except for a pair of holding tabs or webs 41 and 43 which are left uncut, to provide a rectilinear, diagonally extending slit which divides the bottom panel 3 into two similar, triangular-shaped sectional panels 45 and 47 having right-angle, diagonally opposite comers 51 and 53. The tabs 41 and 43 hold the blank 1 together as a single piece.

The triangular-shaped panel 45 is ceased to provide a fold line 55 which bisects the right-angle corner and extends from the corner 51 to the slit 39. In like fashion, the triangularshaped panel 47 is creased to provide a fold line 57 which bisects the corner 53 and extends therefrom to the slit 39.

If desired, the blank may include the end closure flaps 59 and 61, FIGS. 7 and 8, hinged along the lines 63 and 65 to the end panels 29 and 31, and the side closure flaps 69 and 71 hinged to the side panels 5 and 7 along the lines 73 and 75.

The blank 1 is erected into box or container form by folding the side panels 5 and 7 upwardly to a vertical position and folding the end walls 13, 15, 21, and 23 inwardly so as to extend normal to the respective side panel, after which the end panels 29 and 31 are folded upwardly to a vertical position LII against the outer surface of the adjacent end walls. The staples 77 or other suitable fasteners, inserted through the end panel and the end walls at each end of the box, hold the panels in place and the box erected.

As the blanks are cut and the boxes are erected therefrom, it is the usual practice to store and ship the boxes in a fully collapsed condition.

The erected boxes are collapsed by exerting sufficient force on the bottom panel thereof to rupture or break the holding tabs 41 and 43 and then folding the triangular-shaped panels 45 and 47 along the fold lines 55 and 57 to collapse the erected panels. The holding tabs 41 and 43 may be readily broken by exerting the required force against either the inner or outer surface of the bottom panel, preferably opposite the tabs or at the end of the fold lines 55 and 57 adjacent the slit 39. One relatively easy way to collapse an erected box is to place the box upside down on a support surface and to then push downwardly on the bottom panel 3 to break the holding tabs 41 and 43 and to force the triangular-shaped panels 45 and 47 downwardly as they fold on the lines 55 and 57. The triangular-shaped panels 45 and 47 may be folded into the interior of the collapsed container side and the end panels or they may be folded to extend outside of the side and end panels.

The fully collapsed containers are set up for use as required by forcing the fold lines 19 and 25 toward one another or by pulling the fold lines 17 and 27 away from one another until a rectangular or square container having a flat bottom panel is formed and the diagonal edges 79 and 81 of the triangularshaped panels 45 and 47 are contiguous throughout their length. Strong tape 83 spanning the slit 39 may be applied to the inner or outer surface of the bottom panel 3 in order to maintain the containers in setup condition and to provide added strength and security. However, in order to add substantial strength and stability to the container, a filler pad 85 formed of a strong sheet of corrugated or like material and of substantially the same size as the bottom panel 3 is placed in the container on the bottom panel.

It will be seen that the present container is rugged and economical to manufacture and, after it has been erected, may be quickly and easily collapsed and setup as often as desired or necessary. The closure flaps 59, 61, 69 and 71 may be folded inwardly to close the container after material has been placed therein.

While a preferred form of the invention has been described and disclosed above, it is to be understood that such changes and alterations as would occur to those skilled in the art are to be considered within the purview of this invention as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A blank for collapsible container, comprising:

a substantially rectangular-shaped bottom panel bounded on opposite sides and on opposite ends by fold lines;

an end panel joined to the bottom panel along each of the and fold lines;

a side panel joined at one side thereof to the bottom panel along each of the side fold lines; an end wall hinged to each end of each of said panels; said bottom panel being divided into first and second right triangle-shaped sectional panels by a diagonal slit extending between a pair of diagonally opposite corners thereof;

said first and second triangle-shaped panels having diagonally opposite right-angle corners and each triangleshaped panel having a fold line extending from the rightangle corner thereof to said slit; and

tab means integral with said bottom panel extending across said slit intermediate the opposite ends thereof and connecting together said first and second triangle-shaped panels.

2. A blank for a collapsible container according to claim 1 in which the fold line of each of the triangle-shaped panels bisects the right angle thereof.

3. A blank for a collapsible container according to claim 2 in which said tab means comprises a pair of relatively narrow strips, one of said strips being disposed intermediate the fold line of the first triangular-shaped panel and one end of said slit and the other of said strips being disposed intermediate the fold line of the second triangular-shaped panel and the other end of said slit.

4. A blank for a collapsible container according to claim 3 in which each end wall extends outwardly from the end of the respective side panel a distance equal to substantially onehalf of the distance between the side fold lines.

5. A collapsible container formed from a single-piece blank, comprising: a pair of opposite side panels; a pair of opposite end panels each connected at either side thereof to the adjacent end of the respective side panel, and a bottom panel connected to said side and end panels and divided into first and second triangular-shaped panels by a diagonal slit extending between a pair of diagonally opposite corners thereof, the

first triangular-shaped panel being hinged along one side edge thereof to the bottom edge of one side panel and along the other side edge thereof to the bottom edge of one end panel, the second triangular-shaped panel being hinged along one side edge thereof to the bottom edge of the other side panel and along the other side edge thereof to the bottom edge of the other end panel; said triangular-shaped panels being detachably connected together by rupturable tab means integral with said bottom panel and extending across said slit intermediate the opposite ends thereof; said triangular-shaped panels having diagonally opposite corners and each triangularshaped panel having a fold line extending from the diagonal comer thereof to said slit, whereby said container may be collapsed by exerting sufficient force on said bottom panel to rupture said tab means followed by folding said triangularshaped panels along the fold line thereof to collapse said side and end panels. 

1. A blank for collapsible container, comprising: a substantially rectangular-shaped bottom panel bounded on opposite sides and on opposite ends by fold lines; an end panel joined to the bottom panel along each of the end fold lines; a side panel joined at one side thereof to the bottom panel along each of the side fold lines; an end wall hinged to each end of each of said panels; said bottom panel being divided into first and second right triangle-shaped sectional panels by a diagonal slit extending between a pair of diagonally opposite corners thereof; said first and second triangle-shaped panels having diagonally opposite right-angle corners and each triangle-shaped panel having a fold line extending from the right-angle corner thereof to said slit; and tab means integral with said bottom panel extending across said slit intermediate the opposite ends thereof and connecting together said first and second triangle-shaped panels.
 2. A blank for a collapsible container according to claim 1 in which the fold line of each of the triangle-shaped panels bisects the right angle thereof.
 3. A blank for a collapsible container according to claim 2 in which said tab means comprises a pair of relatively narrow strips, one of said strips being disposed intermediate the fold line of the first triangular-shaped panel and one end of said slit and the other of said strips being disposed intermediate the fold line of the second triangular-shaped panel and the other end of said slit.
 4. A blank for a collapsible container according to claim 3 in which each end wall extends outwardly from the end of the respective side panel a distance equal to substantially one-half of the distance between the side fold lines.
 5. A collapsible container formed from a single-piece blank, comprising: a pair of opposite side panels; a pair of opposite end panels each connected at either side thereof to the adjacent end of the respective side panel, and a bottom panel connected to said side and end panels and divided into first and second triangular-shaped panels by a diagonal slit extending between a pair of diagonally opposite corners thereof, the first triangular-shaped panel being hinged along one side edge thereof to the bottom edge of one side panel and along the other side edge thereof to the bottom edge of one end panel, the second triangular-shaped panel being hinged along one side edge thereof to the bottom edge of the other side panel and along the other side edge thereof to the bottom edge of the other end panel; said triangular-shaped panels being detachably connected together by rupturable tab means integral with said bottom panel and extending across said slit intermediate the opposite ends thereof; said triangular-shaped panels having diagonally opposite corners and each triangular-shaped panel having a fold line extending from the diagonal corner thereof to said slit, whereby said container may be collapsed by exerting sufficient force on said bottom panel to rupture said tab means followed by folding said triangular-shaped panels along the fold line thereof to collapse said side and end panels. 